Experience
by WolfKael
Summary: Suguha is defeated by an upperclassman and is ridiculed for weeks. Tired of it, Kirito goes to teach them about how experience means more than form. K , no romance! Disclaimer: I do not own SAO (and know practically nothing about kendo!)


Suguha blocked with her _shinai_, her hot breath puffing out. She knew she couldn't hold her opponent back much longer. They'd been fighting for a while now, and she'd scored only once. If he got this point, he'd win the set. As she struggled to hold her block, her eyes darted to the sidelines, where she could see her brother watching with rapt attention.

It'd been a long while since he'd beaten SAO and freed Asuna from ALO; if she were honest, he was in better shape than he'd ever been before his trials. He had picked up kendo again – if only at their house for sparring. He was learning proper form, but when they fought he fell to his habitual stance. She continually lectured him about all of the gaps in its defense, but that hadn't changed anything; he insisted that it had kept him from dying in SAO, and it worked just fine.

Her opponent pushed a final time, sending her off balance – but that was all he needed. His _shinai_ struck down at her head, and the match was over. She removed her helmet and her opponent did the same and bowed to each other. She could hear some people clapping, others booing, and there were several – her eyes darted over at the senior students – who laughed and jeered.

"Good job, Maru!" one of them smirked, "you taught that arrogant brat a lesson!"

Kirito glanced at the jeering _senpai_, his gaze cold. He felt a large hand on his shoulder and turned to see Agil shake his head.

"She already hates that she lost," Kirito frowns, "They don't have to be so unsporting."

"You'll only cause problems right now," he replies, "Let them celebrate," he breaks into a grin, "_we_ know she's great, after all!"

Kirito doesn't reply and turns back to watch his sister's defeated figure leave the room to change into her casual clothes.

It's been a couple of weeks since her defeat, and Sugu can't even reach for her duffel bag to go to practice. She sees them every day, and every day they ridicule her. She knows she shouldn't let them get to her, but the pokes and prods still break through.

_What if I _am_ being arrogant?_ She wonders, _what if it _was_ all just a fluke?_

Kirito knocks at her door, surprised that she's still home. He knows why, even though she won't tell him the real reason.

"I'm not feeling well today. But I'll feel better soon," she smiles, trying to convince him, but knows that she's failed. As she closes her door, he sighs and his eyes narrow as he reaches for his phone.

"Agil? Yeah, get everyone together, will you? Thanks. See you there," he snaps his cell shut and he prepares to leave for the dojo.

Maru had noticed the boy with black eyes when he was fighting Sugu. There had been something in the boy's eyes that he couldn't place. In fact, it had also been in the eyes of several people around him, including the pretty girl with chestnut hair and the large black man.

The black-eyed boy and his friends had just waltzed into the dojo, and all fighters had turned to silence. The tension could be cut if they had a real blade.

"I know what all of you are doing to my sister," the black-eyed boy hissed, "You can call her arrogant all you want, but you can't deny that she's pretty good !"

"We've done noth-" a third-year girl retorted, only to be cut off by Maru.

"So you're Kirigaya-chan's brother?" He asked.

"I'm Kirigaya Kazuto," he replied, "though most people call me Kirito," he picks up a _shinai_, twirling it easily in his hands, as though it's made of paper.

"So, Kirito," the third-year girl, Haruhi, began, "Do you practice _kendo_ as well?"

He smirked, "I can use a sword, if that's what you're asking."

"As for proper _kendo_," Klein snickered, "Well, I wouldn't say we're much good."

Asuna sighed, her eyes scanning the room, and her mind immediately returning to the strategic-planning mode that she had grown so accustomed to in Aincrad. Kirito could sense it though and turns to her to shake his head.

"We're not all fighting," he whisped so that only she can hear, "I'd like to keep this as quiet as possible."

"I only want those involved in Suguha's problems," Asuna smiled, instantly causing several boys to drool, "I would appreciate if the rest of you would go home for the evening or at least…take a break?"

The _kohai_ looked at their superiors and the seniors motioned for them to pack up. It took several minutes for the room to clear.

Kirito looked at Maru and walked to the center of the room, grasping the _shinai_. The others in the group remained at the edges to watch.

"Don't you want protection?" Maru asked, looking at the boy in casual clothing.

Kirito glanced over his body and shook his head, "I'm good."

Maru frowned and began to remove his armor, feeling that he was being looked down on, "Then we'll make it even."

"You don't have to do that," Klein cautioned, but was ignored.

The two fighters stared each other down before falling into their respective stances. As Kirito's _shinai_ was drawn back, muffled giggles resounded through the _kendo_ students. Kirito's group sighed and shook their heads; these people would never know how many monsters had found their end after that stance.

Maru was once again watching his opponent's eyes, trying to find what it was that lurked in their inky depths. He rushed to attack, but Kirito was faster, easily dodging his downward slice and his weapon slicing toward Maru's stomach. Maru danced away, attacking his exposed side. His _shinai_ was parried above and Kirito moved to Maru's neck.

Their eyes locked again, and he froze. There was killing intent in those eyes; a cold fire that burned in his irises and told him that the boy in front of him had seen horrible things and experienced pain unlike any other.

Before it was too late, he swiveled away from the attack and sliced toward Kirito's legs, which the young man easily leaped over and then landed on, tearing the _shinai _from his grasp. An official defeat.

"How…?" the word broke from Maru's lips before he even realized it.

Klein smirked, "Ever hear of Sword Art Online?"

All of the seniors turned to look at the group with wide eyes.

"We're all survivors. And Kirito here is not just any player. He was a solo player on the front lines. While guilds of hundreds trembled in their boots every day, this crazy guy," he laughed, "_this_ crazy guy was willing to what they were all by himself!"

Maru started at the black-haired boy, and realized what he'd seen in those eyes. They were the eyes of someone who took fighting seriously, someone who had seen others die.

"You can fight me as much as you want," Kirito growled, "But in a real fight, without rules or regulations, you will _never_ beat me. My experience will _always_ defeat yours, and my sword will always be heavier," he placed the _shinai_ down and strode out of the room.

"Oh, and leave Suguha alone, okay?" Asuna smiled dazzlingly and followed her boyfriend, with a quiet 'or else' drifting beneath her words.

"Did we mention that Asuna was the vice-captain of one of the biggest guilds and the only person Kirito would party with?" Klein added as he and Agil left.


End file.
